Journal box



Dec. 25, 1934.

D. s. BARROWS JOURNAL BOX Filed Oct. 22, 1928 2 r l v I l 1 l l I lllllllllllllllllltxlr|I|I |1| M al bozueq s W W a B S M a m D Patented Dec. 25, 1934 PATENT OFFICE;

JOURNAL Box Donald S. Barrows, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland 1 Application Oc' tober 22, 1928, Serial No. 314,187

15 Claims. (01. 308-47 This invention relatesto journal boxes and more Figure 1 is a front elevation of a journal box lid particularly to 'articulatedror two piece lids for assembly embodying my invention, a. portion of closing the outer openings therein. I r the hood or spring housing thereof being broken The principal, object of my invention, generally away to more clearly show the construction.

. considered, is to provide a two piece self-adjust- Figure 2 is a sectional view of the lid assembly 5 ing-lid for closing the journal box open gksaid and a fragmentary portion of the associated jour- ,lid preferablyinvolvinga hood and a lid proper nal box on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in between which atorsionspring is positioned, said the direction of the arrows.

spring having apair, of coils normally seated on 1 F gu e 3 is a fragme t y end v t onal View the hood, an intermediate. loopnormally'engaging O the pivot P pintle a the jac t p 1- 10 the hinge lug and' the depending ends, of the .tions of the hood and lid proper, the gasket means spring engaging. thel d p pe hat portion of alternatively shown on the lid proper of Figure 2 said lid normally engaging the periphery of'the being omitted.

:box being-provided withgasket or packing means Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the 5 if desires- A p line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of Another object-of myinvention is to provide a the arrows. two piece lid inwhich the actuating spring is posi- Figure 5 is a fragmentary Sec onal View corretioned between the hood and lid proper with the Spe ding to the lower por of F u e 2 but censor the spring seated on the hood and the free h wing a modification.

.2() ends thereof'resting on the lid proper instead of ing to the drawing in detail, l e parts onthe hood, thereby maintaining spring tension being designated by like reference characters, and between the'e1ements f the lid and preventing first considering the embodiment of my invention .rattling-evenwhen open. v I illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, a portion of ot er O i- 9 my. nve ti is provide a a journal box 1 is shown with an ordinary form journal box lid having a hood pivoted thereto 0f hinge 111 2 e ding from the upper Wall or 5 1 adjacent its center. for enclos a n" associated roof thereof, to which the journal box lid assembly torsion spring, said springhaving coils seated on 3 is pivotally connected by means of hinge p the hood'and extendin g in'to depressions on the ,or pintle 4.

,face of th1lid, 9 an intermediate. ,loop rti n In the present embodiment, the complete jouradapted 1' engage eh n 111 0 the box f r nal box lid 3 comprises a closure member or lid 30 holding-the'lid inopen orclosedposition, the 'free p ope 5 a d a hood or spring housing member ends or tails of the spring being supported directly or retainer 6 normally disposed substantially parunder .the fulcrum or pivotal means connecting allel thereto, as shown in Fig. 2, said parts being the hoodand lid softhat the pressure thereof doe movably or pin connected adjacent the horizontal not tend to cause relative rotation between lid center line of the lid, as by means of aconnecting 35 and hood'but rather to stabilize the relation bepin 7, said pin extending through outstanding tween the parts'on 'account'of the length of the lugs 8 on the lid or closure portion 5 and the de- "bearings for the'ends of the spring. pending correspondingly apertured ends 9 on the v Still further. bjct Qf'my invention is to prohousing or hood portion 6. The lid assembly 3 49 vide a two'piece journal box lid comprising a 010- is ivoted to the box by the pintle or pivot pin 4 40 'sure member and a hood I or housing member extending through perforated ears or hinge por- "pivoted thereto adjacent the center, said closure tions 10 on the hood rather than corresponding member being providedwithtabs or lugs hooking portions on the lid proper. Both of the pins 4 .over adjacent portions onthe hood for limiting and 7 may be headed and locked in position in relative movement therebetween,whereby when any desired manner as by having the ends split 45 the elements of the lid are assembled the spring or bifurcated and expanded in place as indicated can not-be removed orreplaced as long as the at 11 and 12 respectively. The lugs or bearing -fulcrum pin isin position. portions receiving .the expanded ends may have .Other objects andadvantages 'ofthe invention the corresponding apertures elongated for prop- ,50 relating to the particular arrangement and cony receiving t Separated prongs 0n the P .50

,struction of the various parts will become apparwhereby when locked in place, turning of said out as the description proceeds. v pins with respect to the corresponding apertured Referring to-the drawing illustrating my invenlugs is prevented. In order to limit or substantion, the scope whereof is defined by the appended tially restrict relative I movement between the 1 I I lid of closure member 5 and the hood or housing portion 6 when assembled, the upper edge portion of the lid is desirably formed with stops, projections, tongues or tabs 13 hooking over adjacent portions, such as the lugs or portions offset outwardly to form lateral projections on perforated ears or bearing portions 10, on the housing 6, which lugs project horizontally from the side walls of the hood adjacent the upper edge of the lid.

In order to provide for resiliently holding the lid in open or closed position, a torsion spring 14 is normally positioned between the carrier mem bei', hood or housing 6 and lid proper or plate member 5, said spring or resilient means having a pair of coils or helical portions 15 presenting convex surfaces concave or correspondingly curved seat or fulcrum portions 16 on the housing or hood 6, and

a lever portion formed as an intermediate loop 17 or upwardly extending straight portions joined at their upper end and desirably formed with a wear plate 18 or anti-friction roller (not shown) for engagement with the hinge lug 2 in the normal manner. The free ends or depending straight tails 19 of the spring preferably engage flat lugs or seats 20 formed on the outer face of the lid 5 directly beneath the connecting pin '7 between the lid and hood. In order not to necessitate positioning of the hood 6 at too great a distance from the lid 5, that portion of the lid adjacent the coils 14 is inwardly depressed or pocketed as indicated at 21 to receive the adjacent portion of said coils.

In order to provide for tightly closing the opening of the journal box 1 by means of the lid, without necessitating machining or grinding the joint between the parts, said lid is desirably, but not necessarily, formed with a joint 22 formed by a durable semi-plastic material poured or pressed into a dove-tailed slot formed between inwardly converging flanges 23 on the inner face thereof, or having some equally effective method of anchorage, so that the face thereof may adapt itself to the particular inequalities in the box periphery to which the lid is applied. As an alternative, a gasket 22 may be inserted in a corresponding slot formed by angular flanges 23*, said gasket being formed of any usual packing means such as rubher or the like and elfectively sealing the joint between the lid 5 and the box 1 as shown in Figure 5.

From the foregoing disclosure of my invention, it will be seen that I have provided a two piece resiliently pressed and, therefore, self-adjusting lid for a journal box, which lid involves a closure portion and a hood on spring housing portion between which a torsion spring is normally disposed and which can not be removed while the connecting pin between the parts is in place. On account of having the tails of the spring resting on the lid instead of chairs on the housing, a certain amount of spring tension is maintained between the elements of the lid, thereby preventing rattling even when the lid is open. As the tails of the spring are supported directly beneath the fulcrum or connecting pin between the parts of the lid, the spring pressure thereof does not tend to cause relative rotation between the lid and housing, but rather to stabilize the relation between the two because of the length of the bearing for the spring tails which causes any tendency of the lid to rotate with reference to the housing to be resisted through the lever arm which immediately appears as the tails of the spring are caused to bear on one end of the flat or straight seats: It

and normally resting on.

therefore follows that with lids constructed as disclosed, the pressure exerted by the tails of the spring will hold the fulcrum joint tight and also hold the lid in correct but yielding relation to the housing, the yielding being necessary to compensate for even a small misalignment of the journal box face and hinge lug. When the lid is open, the correct relation will be maintained and under sufflcie'iit tension. tojrevent "rattles.

On account of the action of the spring ends or tails on the lid, the upstanding lugs or tabs along the top edge of the lid are theoretically useful only during assembly with the lid housing and 1 spring. 7

lug on the inside of thehousing. It will'also'be I noted that the spring can not removed" or replaced as long "as the ml'crum 1511119 in position, which is obviously advantageous in preventing theft or tampering With the lid.

Although I have. described in detail preferred forms of my invention, it "will be understood that I am limited only by the scope of the appended claims. I

Having now described my invention, I claim: 1. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assembly pivotally carried thereby and comprising'a retainer and a lid proper movably-coh'nected adjacent the center of the latter, and resilientmeans engaging the retainer intermediate the ends and with straight trans versely spaced lower arms engaging the'lid proper and an upper arm engaging the hinge lug.

2. In combination, a journal box having a hingelug, an emanates lid pivotally carried therebyand comprising ahead and a lid movably connected adjacentthe center of the latter, and

resilient means disposed between-said hood and lid engaging lug" and lid respectively at its upper and lower ends and the hood intermediate said ends, the resilient means having lower ends spaced and engaging the Ii'dto stabilize'therelation between the lid and the hood.

3. Incombination, a journal box having a hinge lug,atwopiece lid pivotally carried thereby and comprising a retainer connected to the lug by a pin and aeiosure member connected to the retainer by nemies pin, and resilient means disposed between and engaging'said retainer and .a seat on said closure member, straight longitudinally of the resilient,means, immediately be- ..tween the retainer-closure member-pin and the relativemovement resilient means disposed between said hood and lid and engaging said lug for holding the lid in open or closed position.

5. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assembly pivotally carried thereby and comprising a hood and a lid proper movably connected adjacent the center of the latter, and a torsion spring disposed between said hood and lid proper and comprising a spring wire formed into a pair of coils seated on the hood, a loop portion extending upwardly therebetween and normally engaging the hinge lug, the ends of said wire extending downwardly from the coils and resting on the lid proper, thereby maintaining spring pressure between the parts of the lid assembly even when opened.

6. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assembly pivotally carried thereby comprising a hood and a lid proper movably connected adjacent the center of the latter and a torsion spring disposed between said hood and lid and provided with coil portions seated on the hood, an intermediate loop portion engaging the lug and the free ends or tails of the spring engaging the lid proper directly beneath the points of connection between said lid and hood, whereby relative rotation therebetween is not caused by said pressure.

7. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assembly pivotally carried thereby and comprising a hood pin connected to the lug adjacent the upper end thereof and pin connected to the lid adjacent its lower end, a torsion spring with a plurality of coils seated on the hood and received in a depression in the lid proper, a loop portion of the spring between the coils normally engaging the lug, and tabs extending from the upper edge of said lid proper and overlying corresponding portions of the hood for limiting angling therebetween, whereby said spring can not be removed or replaced while the fulcrum pin between the hood and lid is in position.

3. A journal box lid assembly, comprising a hood and a lid proper connected adjacent the center of the latter, tabs extending from the upper edge of the lid proper and overlying adjacent portions of the hood for limiting relative movement therebetween, and resilient means held between said hood and lid and formed with an upper extension adapted to engage an associated hinge lug for holding the lid in open or closed position.

9. A journal box lid assembly comprising a hood and a lid proper movably connected adjacent the center of the latter, and resilient means engaging the hood intermediate the ends and with straight extensions on the lower end engaging flat seats on the lid proper to stabilize the relation between the latter and the hood.

10. A two piece journal box lid comprising a retainer adapted to be connected to an associated journal box, a closure member movably connected to the retainer and normally disposed substantially parallel thereto, and resilient means disposed between and engaging said closure member and retainer, and adapted to engage angularly disposed portions on the associated box for holding said lid in open or closed position, the engagement between the resilient means and closure member being along a substantial length of the resilient means to yieldingly maintain the normal relationship between said member and retainer.

11. A journal box lid assembly comprising a spring retainer and a lid proper movably connected adjacent the center of the latter, and a torsion spring disposed between said retainer and lid proper and comprising a spring wire formed into a pair of coils seated on the retainer, a loop portion extending upwardly therebetween and adapted to engage an associated hinge lug, the ends of said wire extending downwardly from the coils and resting on the lid proper thereby maintaining spring tension between the parts of the lid assembly.

12. A journal box lid assembly comprising a hood and a lid proper movably connected adjacent the center of the latter and a torsion spring disposed between said hood and lid and provided with coil portions seated on the hood, an intermediate upwardly extending loop portion and the free ends or tails of the spring engaging the lid proper directly beneath the points of connection between said lid and hood, whereby relative rota-- tion therebetween is not caused by said pressure.

13. A two-piece journal box lid comprising a retainer adapted to be movably connected to an associated journal box, a closure member connected to said retainer and normally disposed substantially parallel thereto, and resilient means disposed between and engaging said closure member and retainer and adapted to engage angularly disposed portions on the associated box for holding said lid in open or closed position, the engagement between the resilient means and closure member being along a substantial length of said closure member, the engagement between said resilient means and retainer being along vertically curved surfaces to allow for adjusting movement, and the connection between said closure member and retainer also allowing for adjusting movement.

14. An articulated cover assembly for journal boxes comprising a lid, a hood overlying the upper portion of the lid and provided with side Walls having portions thereof offset outwardly to form lateral projections, stop members formed integral with the upper portion of the lid and overlying said projections for limiting relative movement between said lid and hood, and means pivotally connecting the lower side wall portions of the hood to the central portion of the lid.

15. An articulated cover assembly for journal boxes comprising a lid, a hood pivotally secured to the lid, a substantial distance below the upper edge of the lid, lugs projecting from the side walls of the hood adjacent the upper edge of the lid, and projections carried by the lid adjacent its upper edge, said projections being in the form of stops overlying said lugs for limiting relative movement between said lid and hood, said hood being provided with pintle receiving openings beyond the upper edge of the lid.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

